Bleu de France (colour)
Bleu de France (Blue of France) is a colour traditionally used to represent France. Blue has been used in the heraldry of the French monarchy since at least the 12th century, with the golden fleurs-de-lis of the kings always set on a blue (heraldic "azure") background. A brighter version, based on the blue of the French Tricolour, is used in modern times, particularly in a sporting context. French national teams in all sports will normally use blue as their main colour.
Bleu de France | |
---|---|
Hex triplet | #318CE7 |
sRGBB (r, g, b) | (49, 140, 231) |
CMYKH (c, m, y, k) | (79, 39, 0, 9) |
HSV (h, s, v) | (210°, 79%, 91[1]%) |
Source | Pourpre.com |
ISCC–NBS descriptor | Vivid blue |
B: Normalized to [0–255] (byte) H: Normalized to [0–100] (hundred) |
Blue is France's national racing colour; therefore, several French motorsport teams have used it, including Alpine, Amilcar, Ballot, Bugatti, Delage, Delahaye, Gordini, Ligier, Mathis, Matra, Panhard, Pescarolo Sport, Peugeot, Prost Grand Prix, Rondeau, Salmson, Talbot-Lago, Voisin. The two notable exceptions are Citroën and Renault: the former has used red and white, whereas the latter has used yellow and black. Between 2002 and 2006 Renault F1 cars wore a blue colour not as the national racing colour of France but due to the team´s title sponsor the Japanese brand of cigarettes Mild Seven.
"French blue" has also been in used by the Massachusetts State Police, in uniform and livery, since June 1933, to render troopers immediately recognizable to the public.[2] Since 1944 it has also been in use by Delaware State Police on their uniforms.[3]
Race cars in Bleu de France
- Bugatti Typ 35C Grand Prix Racer (1926)
- Delage D6
- Delahaye 135 MS (1935)
- Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Prix (1949)
- CD Panhard LM64 (1964)
- Matra MS10 (1968)
- Rondeau M382
- Ligier JS11-15 (1980)
- Prost AP04 F1 (2001)
- Pescarolo Sport 16 (2008)
See also
- List of colours
- List of international auto racing colours
References
- #318CE7 Colour Information
- "Police cruisers tighten up". The Boston Globe. Boston. May 19, 2002. p. 21.
In June of 1933, the Massachusetts State Police changed from forest green uniforms like a forest ranger's to French blue shirts and electric blue pants...The French blue and electric blue transferred from uniform to sheetmetal. The colors allow troopers to be recognized, even when inside their cars...
- Kidd, R Spencer. Uniforms of the U.S. State Police & Highway Patrols. p. 28. OCLC 929822564.